TRIO HELD IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE SCHEME

A federal magistrate Monday issued complaints against three reputed mobsters, including two who the FBI believe to be "professional killers," on charges of being involved in a murder-for-hire scheme.

The three men were arrested Friday night in Belleville, N.J. after police arrested a Miami man at Newark International Airport, who was allegedly supposed to deliver a handgun and silencer to them.

Charged with conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire were: Frank Basto, 48, of Belleville; Martin Carbone, 59, of Bloomfield; and Carl Palo, 57, of Fort Lee.

U.S. Attorney W. Hunt Dumont said, "Authorities believe that Basto and Palo are professional killers who have on numerous occasions performed murders for various organized crime families in the New York-New Jersey area."

Thomas Ignizio, 46, of Miami, was arrested at Newark International Airport Friday.